


Catwoman III

by redheadbecky



Series: Catwoman [3]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-12
Updated: 2017-04-12
Packaged: 2018-09-08 05:12:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 19,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8831764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/redheadbecky/pseuds/redheadbecky
Summary: Tony Stark isn't the only Stark child out there, Peggy is the younger of the two of them and more mysterious, she prefers the shadows to the spot light, but what happens when one bow wielding assassin sets his Hawkeye sights on her??





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Full Name: Margaret 'Peggy' Maria Stark  
> Sex: Female  
> Height: 5' 10"  
> Weight: 120 lbs (54 kg)  
> Eyes: Hazel though will turn green when her animal instincts are alert  
> Hair colour: brown though she dies it platinum white (To match her costume)  
> Date of birth: 1980  
> Age: 36

Many don't know that Tony Stark has a sister, hell even Shield doesn't know that Tony Stark has a sister, but he does Margaret 'Peggy' Maria Stark was born December 17, 1980 and named after Peggy Carter, she was a daddys girl through and through and though Howard and Tony had a rocky relationship, they made sure she was shielded from it, Howard doted on her until his death when she was eleven, he died on her birthday which makes it an extra sensitive day every year, she refuses to celebrate it any more, too many drunk Tony moments that it makes it worse. She drops by now and then to see him though she prefers to roam alone and away from the Stark spotlight.

...................

Tony sits at his computer looking at a photo of himself and Peggy a glass of whiskey in hand, this day is a quiet day and most of the Avengers leave him alone, Pepper having warned them that it was the best idea. He tilts his glass to the screen.

“Happy Birthday, Pegs”

“Thanks” he jumps and drops his glass when he receives an answer.

“Jesus christ Peggy” She chuckles and slinks down from the open window.

“Sorry” she states sheepishly, Tony glances to his sister who sticks to the shadows, that's nothing new, he is used to her being distance and it's probably his fault. Tony reaches into one of the draws and pulls out a small wrapped box. He taps the top as he waves for dummy to clean up the mess he made.

“Here” he clears his throat. “Seen as you turned up this year” he shuts down the computer as she stalks to the box and snatches it from the table. “So...how you been?” he listens to her opening the box before she talks again.

“Fine..” she chuckles. “Thanks” Tony smiles a little listening to her laugh. He'd gotten her a scarf with black cats all over it, she'd always had a thing for cats. “This is great”

“I miss you” he whispers, she looks down to her lap and sighs.

“Yeah....I miss you too, Tony” she stands pulling the scarf around her neck. A flashing red light appears on her belt and she sighs. “I have to go” she turns the light off and heads back towards the window.

“Seriously?” Tony scoffs. “I don't see you in three years and you stay less then fifteen minutes” she pauses and glances back.

“What do you want me to do? Sit and watch you drink yourself into a stupor before I have to carry you to your bed and call Pepper, I only thought to check on you after those Midtown spider things, you have a whole team, go cry to one of them”

“Are you really that heartless?” she smirks a little.

“I learnt from the best” she slinks back out through the window and Tony sinks into his seat and pours himself another drink.

.......................................

Reaching her bike Peggy throws her legs over it as Pepper and Happy leave their car, Pepper smiles at the younger Stark, she and Happy being the only others that know about her. Happy gives her a wave and Peggy gives him one back.

“I see you got your scarf” Pepper approaches the girl hesitantly, knowing her birthday is a sore subject.

“Yeah” Peggy fiddles with the end. “Am guessing you had something to do with it...so thanks”

“Actually it was all Tony” Happy looks over her bike and smiles.

“Nice bike, Miss Peggy”

“Thanks, Happy” Pepper pulls something out of her bag and hands it to Peggy.

“Here” Peggy looks at the card before taking it. “There this party tomorrow night, and well...I am sure Tony would like it, if you came” she looks over the invitation.

“I probably won't” but she tucks it into her leather jacket, anyway before starting her bike.

..............................

Clint with a scoop of ice cream half way to his lips pauses as he looks over the girl on the bike. He nudges Natasha next to him and she raises an eyebrow.

“Who's that talking with Pepper?”

“Happy”

“No” Clint rolls his eyes. “On the bike” Natasha cocks her head and shrugs.

“Never seen her before” Clint looks over the girl as she straddles the bike before taking off, Natasha eyes her friend smirking, Clint very rarely showed that much attention in women, what with how dangerous their job is so if this girl had caught his eyes....they wait for Pepper and Happy to head their way, Pepper offering them both a smile. “Who was that girl?” Pepper and Happy share a look before Pepper answers.

“Just one of Tony's old flames” she answers hurrying past them, Happy nods following, the suspicions of both assassins raised, Natasha raises an eyebrow as the two of them disappear.

“No way that was an old flame” Natasha states.

“Hmmm” Clint licks his spoon and shares a look with hie best friend, the two of them smirking. “You think she was inside the building?” Natasha shrugs.

“Maybe”

“Hack Jarvis?” Natasha smirks and nods, the two of them heading inside.

 


	2. Chapter 2

Natasha sits at the computer trying to find the girl inside the building but comes up blank, she glances to Clint who sits in the chair beside him, head back, snoring away, drool dribbling down his chin, she raises an eyebrow and shakes her head as Tony walk past behind them, he squints his eyes at the screen and raises his own eyebrow.

“What you two doing?” Tony flicks Clint's forehead and he jerks awake.

“Looking for someone” Natasha answers. “Clint's got his eye on this woman he saw talking to Pepper and Happy last night” Tony pauses and tilts his head, his mind working to think who they meant when Peggy flashes in his mind, she was the only woman around last night that they could be on about, Tony knows the rules when it comes to his sister, keep her away from shit. Two assassins = shit.

“No idea” he shrugs and walks away from them, Natasha narrows her eyes as Clint yawns rubbing the spot where Tony had flicked him.

“Liar” Natasha hisses under her breath then turns to her best friend. “He's hiding something from us” Clint shrugs.

“Maybe it's personal....we don't have to share everything....we haven't” he points out grabbing his now cold coffee. “Well, I am beat, night Tasha”

“Night, Barton” he shuffles off towards his apartment within the tower.

..............................

Peggy lays spread out on her bed, a small pure white cat lays spread out beside her, his tail wrapped around her ankle as she reads over the invitation.

_In Honour of Howard and Maria Stark_

She runs her fingers over the indentations of writing, Pepper had to have had this made hoping Peggy turned up at some point, her own name, her full name is etched into the stiff paper and on the back a hand written not from the redhead herself.

_Peggy_

_I know you hate the day but Happy Birthday, he misses you, you know, just try to visit more_

_Pepper x x_

Peggy stretches her arms over her head and drops the invitation into the trash can at the end of her bed.

“Not this year” she mumbles and glances to the side and out of the window, she can see Stark....The Avenger Tower from her apartment, part of it, she tells herself, is to be close to Tony, he is the only family she has. She'd heard all about Obidiah Stane and his need to control Stark Industries, she's glad she wasn't part of that, she'd heard of Tony getting kidnapped, she checked in on him after that, though he was sleeping in his workshop/garage at the time, he probably doesn't know she was there, she checked on him after Vanko, she checked on him after the Battle of New York, she checked on him after the Mandarin and Sokovia, she checks on him, her big brother, the great genius playboy billionaire philanthropist, Tony Stark, and she still feels the need to check on him. She sighs and crawls to the end of her bed and picks up the invitation from the trash can, her cat now sitting at her arm and looking up at her. “Could be fun” she mumbles before looking to her wardrobe. “What am I going to wear?”

.................................

Clint pulls uncomfortably at his purple and black bow tie, why did they have to dress _dress_ up? He lets of a frustrated groan when he can't do it up, Tony chuckles beside him.

“What?” Clint snaps and Tony keeps chuckling. “You could help, this is all your fault anyway” Tony rolls his eyes but does move to help Clint do up the bow tie.

“I'm sorry the charity event to honour my dead parents is bothering you” Clint mentally cursed.

“Sorry” Tony just waves him off, he's been drinking, Clint swears Tony wears it like cologne some times.

“Meh” He fixes the tie and steps back grabbing his drink. “There” Pepper hurries in, no doubt double checking everything, Tony looks to her and she sighs taking the drink from him.

“I gave her the invitation Tony, I can't force her to come” Clint glances between the two of them with a raised eyebrow. Tony gives Pepper a look and she glances to Clint before pulling Tony away from him, Clint huffs annoyed, Natasha was right, they are hiding something....well, someone, who ever this her is.

......................................

Peggy runs her hand over her dress as she steps out of the elevator and into the room being used for the event, her eyes glance around taking in Stark....The Avenger Tower, suits Tony, all the glass and lights and flash.

“Oh my god, Peggy” she sighs and glances to her side as Pepper reaches her, looking utterly surprised that she had actually turned up. “You came” she softens and smiles. “Tony'll be so happy” Pepper takes her arm and it is clearly meant to stop Peggy from running away as she leads her towards the bar. “Drink?”

“Sure” Peggy answers and leans on the bar.

“Martini and....”

“White Russian, no ice, no vodka... hold the Kahlu” The man blinks, retreats to fill the order. 

“I don't know how much you've heard about the last few years” Pepper starts. “But Tony's been struggling”

“I know” Peggy answers. “I've been checking on him”

“You've been....” Pepper softens a lot and smiles. “He thinks you don't care, Peggy” she shrugs as the bartender produces a shot-glass full of cream and a martini for Pepper.

“Cream, straight up and a martini” Peggy knocks this back, licks white residue from her lips and looks around.

…...................................

Natasha spots her first, Clint's mystery girl, and yeah, she can see it, the woman's stunning, she nudges Clint who is currently watching Thor, Bucky and Steve drink Asgardian mead.

“What?” he turns and his jaw practically hits the floor. “Wow”

“I agree, she is something” Clint nods dumbly as Bucky moves to his arm and smirks.

“Birdbrain hitting out with the dames?”

“Women...we call them women now Bucko” Clint states back with a small glare. The three of them watching as Pepper pulls her to the bar. “And I'm not _striking_ out” he corrects.

“Yeah, for that he has to go and talk to her” Natasha teases, Bucky chuckles. Tony stumbles past them, Natasha grabbing his arm to hold him up.

“Thanks, red” he mumbles. “What we watching?” he asks leaning between Clint and Natasha before catching sight of her. “Oh” he smiles warmly, something they hadn't seen him give anyone but Pepper. “Peggy!!” he shouts already trying to stumble over to the bar. Steve perks up behind them and moves to stand with Bucky.

….......................................

Peggy turns, sighing as she hears Tony, and great, he has already been drinking, she can smell him from where she stands, he smiles so warmly at her though. He stops just in front of her, his finger twitching to reach for his baby sister.

“Hey, Tony” she starts and his smile only widens.

“Look at you” he looks over her. “You're so beautiful” she smiles back at him and touches his shoulder, he grabs her hand and pulls her closer, Pepper takes his drink from him as he pulls Peggy aside out of ear shot of anyone else. “I didn't think you would come”

“I wasn't going to” she tells him. “I kept changing my mind” she glances around. “This isn't my world, Tony” he touches her arm gently before hugging her, they are both awkward and stiff but it's still sibling contact.

…........................................

Bucky, Steve, Clint, Natasha and now Pietro are staring slack jawed.

“Is..he hugging her?” they each nod at the Sokovian's question. “And he started it?” they all nod again. “Who is she?”

“He called her Peggy” Bucky points out. “And Pepper doesn't seem jealous” they all look to Pepper who is smiling warmly at Tony and Peggy.

“Who the hell is this girl?” Clint asks.

“She broke Stark” Pietro points out. “Or fixed him? Is this a good thing?” he looks to the other confused.

“He put his drink down...so good?” Natasha wonders, the others shrug.

 


	3. Chapter 3

Tony pulls Peggy towards the other Avengers, seeing his destination she pulls him to a stop.

“Tony”

“Please Peggy, I just want them to know you exist, even if I say you are a family friend” he looks up at her and god damn him for using those eyes on her, she sighs and nods.

“I just don't want the attention” she states softly and he wraps and arm around her and kisses her head.

“I know, family friend, I promise” he pulls her closer as he leads her to where the Avengers now sit, she had tried to make a break for it when everyone else started leaving but it seems Pepper had tattled to Tony.

“Hey!” he cheers causing everyone to look at them, Peggy turns her head to glare at Tony who smirks. “Everyone this is Peggy, Peggy this is everyone” she waves, nervous at all the eyes on her. Good old Captain America stands and offers her his hand.

“Steve Rogers, Nice to meet you”

“Hi” she mumbles. Tony sits and pulls her down with him.

“How do you two know one another?” the redhead, Peggy doesn't know who she is.

“I grew up with Pegs” Tony answers as close to the truth as he can without giving it away.

“There has to be at least ten years between you” Peggy snorts.

“Or Tony just looks that old” she teases and Tony pinches her side with a chuckle. The elevator opens behind them and Tony glances behind him before smiling.

“Hey, Tony I just got this message from JARVIS about coming by...” Peggy turns around and the figure smiles. “Oh my god, is that...is that little Peggy?” she rolls her eyes and stands.

“Hey Rhodey” he hugs her tight.

“God, look at you” she hugs him back. “I haven't seen you since....hell you were what? Thirteen?”

“Something like that, yeah”

“You're stunning...how the hell did that happen?” she smirks a little and shrugs. “It's good to see you kiddo” he kisses her head and they both sit down, most of the group splitting into their own conversations, she doesn't see the dusty blonde archer watching her.

.....................................

At some point Peggy gets to talking with Rhodey, Happy and Pepper and Clint ends up with Tony at the bar, Natasha on the other side and Banner next to Tony.

“So who is she really?” Natasha asks leaning forward.

“What?” Tony looks confused.

“Peggy, who is she?”

“I told you, I grew up with her”

“Which is true, but there is more to it?”

“Please leave it” Tony states looking at Natasha. “I only just managed to get her to stay, I wasn't even sure she was coming, please leave this be” he gets up and moves back towards Peggy who smiles a little at him. Clint glances back to watch her. There is something about the way she moves, graceful and distinctively feline, almost predatory, almost assassin like, though he is pretty sure Tony wouldn't associate with an assassin outside of the Avengers.

..................................

Peggy checks her watch and sighs before looking to Tony.

“I really should get home”

“Ahhh noo” he whines and pulls her closer.

“Tony, it's two in the morning”

“All the more reason for you to stay here” he looks to her sadly, he doesn't want her to leave, last time it was three years, he touches her hair softly. “Pegs”

“Tony, I need to go home, I have a cat to feed and I have work tomorrow”

“I didn't know you had a cat” she nods and hugs him.

“I promise it won't be three years” she whispers as he hugs her back. “Okay?” he hugs her tighter and nods.

“Okay, just you know, use the front door next time” she smiles and lifts the bottom of her dress to walk away. She's almost at the elevator when dusty blonde intercepts her.

“Hi”

“Hi” she replies watching him.

“I'm Clint” she smiles.

“Peggy, but you probably already know that” he nods and stuffs his hands in his pocket. “Well, nice to meet you but...I need to go home”

“Right” he steps to the side. “Do you..” she gives him a look. “Never mind” he sighs and rubs the back of his neck as she disappears into the elevator, he looks up to find Natasha and Bucky laughing at him. “Shut up” he hisses taking the drink Steve holds out to him.

“You do remember how to talk to women, don't you?” Natasha teases.

“I had a date last week” Steve points out smirking, Clint looks to him then to Bucky who chuckles some more.

“Shut up, it's not funny, I panicked, she's...stunning up close” he downs his drink. “I'm going to bed” he turns and walks away, Bucky makes kissing noises behind him and Clint flips him the bird over his shoulder.

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

The next night Peggy dons her Cat suit, she walks along the roof tops, her head cocked, listening in different directions for a new source of amusement -- snippets of voices, music, plumping sounds, passing vehicles... it's like tuning a radio. Then she picks up a distant tinkle of breaking glass -- Dimly lit, an older, discount place. THIEF #1 methodically breaks display cases with a wrapped hammer, snatches up the contents -- necklaces, rings, etc. -- stuffing them into a bag. As he moves, a shadowy figure -- CATWOMAN -- moves with him, looking over his shoulder, close enough to touch but unseen. Each time he turns his head, she has just slinked out of his view -- her timing is impeccable. THIEF #2, with a shotgun, stands guard over a blindfolded, bound-and-gagged night watchman. Catwoman appears on the periphery of his vision, but when he turns his head she's disappeared behind a case -- she emerges on the other side just before he turns back. THIEF #3 is at work on a locked steel case of drawers with a blowtorch and tools. Catwoman steps lightly across the case above him, he looks up -- but there's nobody there. He returns to his work, gets the case open and pulls out a drawer revealing a rack full of glittering diamonds.

“Oooh, pretty” The three thieves spin, looking around.

“Up there!” THIEF #2 aims his shotgun at – Catwoman, perched on a narrow ledge at the ceiling moulding. She vaults down just as he fires, a spary of plaster. THIEF #2 pumps his shotgun, looking around frantically. “What the hell was that?!” Catwoman springs out from behind a display case, gives Thief #2 a roundhouse kick in the head that sends the man into a wall, knocking him cold. THIEF #1 pulls a handgun, but the end of the whip wraps around it in a flash, yanks it from his hand. Catwoman snaps her whip at Thief #1 and Thief #3, backing them into a corner. As she passes the tied-up guard, she uses her claws to slash his ropes. In time with whip cracks she talks.

“You boys -- thought you could just barge -- in here and take -- all these beautiful things – that don't belong to you...” The guard quickly tears off his gag and blindfold, untying his own feet, then picks up the fallen handgun and trains it on the thieves. Catwoman hears police sirens approaching as she swiftly gathers up fallen jewels, sweeping them into the swag bag. She pauses for a moment, thoughtful. “What a purrrfect idea” With lightning speed, she vanishes out the back with the bag. The guard, totally focused on the thieves, doesn't even register she's gone. THIEF #3 points.

“Hey...” Catwoman bounds out the exit, leaps atop boxes, onto a window A/C unit, which totters with her weight, just as an unmarked sedan screeches to a halt, and Clint Barton and Natasha Romanoff leap out, bow and gun ready, they train them on Catwoman.

“Freeze!” Catowman freezes. She blinks down at Clint, he's got a clean shot at her. She cocks her head, licks her lips.

“You are cute” Clint blinks at this uncommon response to a pointed weapon, continues to play it by the book.

“I'm an Agent of Shield”

“Bet you look sweet in uniform. And such a big weapon...” she purrs.

“I, I -- Come down here, now!” Natasha smirks a little amused.

“Obviously you don't know much about cats. I come when I want, not when I'm told” With that, she springs to the rooftop -- the force of her leap knocks the A/C free of the window, Clint and Natasha have to dive out of the way as it crashes. Catwoman, silhouetted against the sky, is having a great time, leaping from building to building, scrambling across rooftops.

..............................

The sun rises peaking in through the apartment window and hits the bed and the jewels that lay over the covers, Peggy lays curled up in the centre of them and her cat curled up on top of her. She stirs and groans in her sleep, her eyes opening and she has to blink at the sunlight, her arms stretching above her head catching the jewels with the tips of her fingers. She smiles giddy and drags them into her hands and clutches them to her chest with a squeal. She bolts up when someone knocks on her door.

“Who is it?” she jumps up and gathers the jewels into the swag bag.

“Miss Peggy?” she pauses and cocks her head.

“Happy?” she croaks shoving the bag into the bottom of her wardrobe.

“Yes, Miss Peggy” she stuffs her suit into the wardrobe as well before pulling on a cardigan and rushing to the door, Happy stands on the other side with a tray of coffees and a brown paper bag. “Good Morning”

“Happy, what are you doing here?”

“Mr. Stark has asked me to keep an eye one you, apparently there is a dangerous individual in the area, he was worried and Miss. Potts suggested I bring breakfast” he holds up the bag, she smiles softly at him. “And offer you a lift to work”

“Thank you” she pushes open the door letting him in. “You'll have to excuse the mess, I didn't get in till late last night and I wasn't expecting anyone” Happy enters the apartment and looks around.

“It's very.....quaint” she snorts.

“It's small and falling apart Happy, you don't need to be nice” Happy looks to her as she shuts the door.

“Did your parents not leave you anything, Peggy?”

“I..” she clears her throat. “I would rather not rely on their money, I want to stand on my own two feet”

“I understand” Happy sits down. “Here” he places the coffee down and smiles at her. She sits in front of him and he catches sight of something behind her. “Peggy?” she looks up. “What are they?” she glances over her shoulder.

“My paintings” she shrugs. “Just something I do, Tony has his suits and his robot stuff....I have my paints, not really that cracked up to be a Stark, am I?”

“You don't have to have fancy degrees and want to play with science to be a genius, Peggy, am sure your father would have been proud of you” she shrugs and goes back to her coffee.

 


	5. Chapter 5

Peggy is sat at her easel when the bell above her door twinkles away, she pushes herself away from her current painting commission and looks to the counter, a dark haired unassuming man stands with a little girl who is currently pointing at one of her big cat paintings.

“Hi” Peggy states and the man jumps a little before turning to her.

“Hi, you don't mind her looking at your paintings do you?” Peggy shakes her head with a smile. “Just we pass here everyday and she's always wanted to come in”

“Course not, have at it, if you need anything just come through” he smiles at her before looking to the kid, Peggy pushes her chair back through to the back. Minutes later she is interrupted by an amused voice.

“You like ants?” she glances over her shoulder at the guy and little girl, he nods to her painting and she shakes her head.

“I'll admit, I'm not that much of a fan, but this” she uses the non-brush end of her brush to point at the painting. “Apparently the guys kid is Ant-Man obsessed” his smile widens, the girl looks around the studio and smiles tugging on, who Peggy assumes in her father's sleeve.

“Dad, look more” Peggy follows her eyes to her unfinished Avenger collection, seen as she hadn't seen them all in uniform she couldn't really paint them, she'd seen Thor, Hulk and of course Iron Man but the others she hadn't had a chance.

“You painted all of these?” Peggy nods. “The detail is incredible” she smiles a little.

“Thank you” he turns to her and holds out his hand.

“I'm Scott, Scott Lang” she shakes his hand.

“Peggy....just Peggy”

“Well, just Peggy, I have no doubt we will be in here again” they both look to the girl who is flicking through a collection of her paintings.

“Do you have a favourite?” Peggy asks the girl moving towards her. The girl looks up at her and nods turning the painting in her hand around to show her lion's head portrait. Peggy smiles. "That is one of my favourites as well....tell you what, why don't you take him home?"

“Oh you don't have to” Scott starts but Peggy waves him off.

“He's just collecting dust here anyway, he deserves to roam free” the girl smiles. “So, you think you can look after him for me?” the girl looks to Scott.

“Can I?” Scott looks to Peggy softly.

“Are you sure?” Peggy nods. “Alright, if you want Cassie”

“I do” she pulls the painting closer, Peggy smiles.

“Shall I wrap him up, cause I think it is going to rain?” Cassie nods and Peggy takes the painting and moving to the counter. “Just to stop the paint from running away” she teases Cassie with a wink, the girl laughs and Scott shakes his head watching them. Peggy looks to Scott as she hands the painting back. “Maybe if you know someone who needs a commissioned painting you could point them my way?”

“I'll walk them to the door, thank you for the painting, what do you say, Cassie?”

“Thank you, Peggy”

“Look after him” she leans on the counter as they leave. “That's my good deed of the day done” her cat takes the opportunity to jump onto the counter next to her, she leans down and bumps heads with him.

..............................................

Tony glances up from the breakfast bare as the elevator opens, Clint glances up from his bowl of cereal as well.

“Hey Munchkin” Tony greets Cassie, who waves, Scott behind her shaking the rain from his hair. “What's that you got?” Cassie holds up the wrapped parcel in her hands.

“A painting” Scott states. “The girl at the store gave it to Cassie, for free”

“That bad?” Clint teases and Scott resists the urge to swear at him.

“No, it's pretty amazing actually, show em Cassie” Tony takes the painting from Cassie as she holds it up, he pulls off the wrapping and nods.

“It's alright, if you like cats I suppose” Clint stands and peers at the painting.

“Wow, looks like real fur” he reaches out to touch it but Cassie smacks his hand away. “Ow”

“Don't touch it, she told me to look after him” Clint and Tony look at the girl as she takes the painting back before looking at Scott and smirking. He shrugs.

“She had this greet piece of Thor” Scott states and smiles. “It looked really life like” Scott looks to Cassie as she heads towards Scott's apartment. “Plus she was really hot”

“There we go” Clint mutters.

“And she was painting an ant” Scott smiles dreamily. “I might go back tomorrow and ask her out”

“Does this wonder girl have a name?”

“What?” Scott snaps out of his thoughts.

“Her name?”

“Oh..Peggy” he pats Tony on the back and follows after Cassie. Tony and Clint share a look, Clint raising an eyebrow.

“It's can't be my Peggy, she don't paint” Tony frowns at Clint's cereal. “Why are you eating cereal at four in the afternoon?”

“Cause I can tin can” Clint jumps up and smirks leaving the room.

“Tin can, very original!!” Tony shouts back rolling his eyes. Clint knocks on Scott's apartment door and waits.

“What's up?”

“What's up?” Clint mocks back, Scott shrugs.

“What do you want?”

“The address of that painter, I was thinking of Nat's birthday, maybe she can paint a black widow spider” Scott raises an eyebrow but writes down the address. “Thanks” Clint looks down at the slip of paper on the way to his own apartment.

 


	6. Chapter 6

Clint pulls his baseball cap and sunglasses on as he heads to the store the next day, he is pretty sure it is a huge coincidence that the two girls are called Peggy and them not being the same woman, he yawns and rubs the back of his neck as he read the address, that woman dressed as a cat was out again the night before and he and Natasha had tried tracking her with no luck, who ever it is can clearly move, they had seen the footage from inside the bank and she had moved around like fluid, if he wasn't trying to bring her in he would have been hitting on her and don't get him started on that suit, that practically stuck to her every curve with little room for anything else. He shakes his head, he can concentrate on a far more realistic woman, one he could have a chance with, Peggy, not some leather clad, curvaceous feline....thief. He looks to the address then up at the store front, there are a few paintings in the windows and he can't help staring, even if this isn't _the_ Peggy, he might just get that Black Widow painting anyway. The bell over the door rings as he pushes open the door, there's a teen sat on the counter with a laptop open in his lap and Clint is pretty sure that is not Peggy, he glances up from the laptop before looking down again.

“Pegs, customer” he mumbles grabbing a pen from his side to make a note in the pad on his other side.

“Peter what have I told you about sitting on the counter?” Peggy, _the_ Peggy appears from out the back and Clint smiles, he thought she looked good all dressed up but my god, covered in paint is the way to go.

“Not to” Peter answers jumping down and sitting on the stool at the side. She looks to Clint and pauses.

“Did Tony send you?” she asks and he shakes his head.

“He doesn't even know you paint” she snorts and rolls her eyes.

“Sounds about right” She looks to Peter. “Haven't you got to be getting home?” Peter rolls his eyes and packs away his things before leaving, Peggy nods to the back. “Coffee?”

“Sure” he follows her out back and looks around all the other paintings, she really does have talent.

“So, what are you doing here?”

“Cassie's painting” she turns to give him a raised eyebrow before she sighs.

“Scott's an Avenger?”

“Yeah”

“Really?” she asks with a smirk. He chuckles.

“Yeah, really, Ant-Man”

“Oh” she looks to her now finishes ant. “That explains why he was amused by that” Clint looks to it and smiles.

“Probably” she moves to the small couch and tiny kitchenette at the back pulling two mugs down as she sets the kettle on the stove. “I was actually curious as to whether you were Tony's Peggy when Scott told us about you” she glances to him. “Plus Natasha's birthday is coming up and I was hoping you would paint something for her” Peggy smiles and tilts her head.

“I can do” the coffees now made they both settle on the sofa, Clint takes a mug from her. “But it will cost you” she teases, he raises an eyebrow and looks to her. “You can take me to dinner” he stares at her a little before smiling.

“Dinner, I can manage” she smiles back at him. “So how come Tony doesn't know you paint, if you are close?”

“We're not that close, I mean we used to be when we were younger, but....kind of drifted once he took over the company” she shrugs. “It happens”

“So, Tony took over the company, what did you do?”

“Studied, I spent some time at the Nation School of Fine arts in Paris, traveled, Tibet, India, China, Cambodia, Siberia, Russia, then came back and opened up my little shop with the money I had left in my savings account. What about you? Guessing you did something else before you were an Avenger?”

“I guess I still am an Agent of SHIELD”

“SHIELD?”

“Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division” she raises an eyebrow.

“Someone really wanted that to spell shield” she teases and he chuckles.

“Probably did, yeah” Clint finds himself smiling wider at her as her eyes seem to sparkle, they are even brighter up close, there are speckles of green and yellow within the brown, and he finds them the most beautiful eyes he has ever seen.

“So, about this painting” she places the mug down and grabs her sketch pad, Clint leans closer to her to watch her as he tells her just what he wants.

...........................................

After an hour Clint leaves left and Peggy gets started on some of her other paintings till lunch anyway, at lunch she grabs her sketchpad and heads out to the nearest coffee place, she happens to love their salmon sandwiches. She takes a seat outside and waves to the girl behind the counter, Dottie, who waves back, Peggy pulling out her sketchpad leans back to people watch, it always makes for more interesting sketches.

“Here you go, Peggy”

“Thank, Dottie” Dottie places the sandwich and coffee down with a smile.

“Did ya hear?” Peggy glances to the girl and raises an eyebrow. “About the jewelers down the street, apparently this woman dressed as a cat stopped these thieves from robbing the place, before she herself robbed the place...first the Avengers now this woman...strange world isn't it” Peggy smirks looking back to her pad.

“The strangest” Dottie heads back inside as Peggy starts to sketch the couple across from her, sitting with their hands entwined next to their coffees.

“You're very talented” she lets out a shout of surprise and knocks her coffee over, her hand shoots out and catches the cup as it falls only for her coffee to spill all over her sketchpad. “I'm so sorry” Steve Rogers grabs a handfull of napkins and blots at her pad as Peggy sets the cup up and shakes out her hand.

“It's okay, don't worry about it”

“Nice reflexes”

“Thanks” she mumbles as he hands back her notepad, she sighs.

“I'm really sorry I ruined your drawings”

“It's okay, I can...” she sighs. “I can draw them again” she closes the sketch pad and dries the rest of her hand.

“At least let me buy you another coffee” he takes the seat across from her. “To replace the one I made you spill”

“What sort of person would I be to deny Captain America?” she teases, he smirks back.

 


	7. Chapter 7

Clint whistles a bird song as he enters the communal living room, Natasha and Bucky who sit curled up on the couch together glance to him, Natasha raising an eyebrow.

“Why are you happy?”

“What, I can't just be happy?” Natasha smirks.

“You saw Peggy” she points out just as Tony enters the room.

“What?” he snaps his head to Clint. “What'd go looking for her for? I told you all to leave her alone” The three of them stare at him like he has grown another head, Tony points to Clint. “Stay away from her, I'm warning you”

“Are you serious?” Clint asks amused.

“Stay away from my sister” Clint, Bucky and Natasha stare at Tony slack jawed.

“Your sister?” Tony blinks realising what he's just said, oh god, Peggy's going to kill him. He laughs nervously rubbing the back of his neck. The elevator pings and Pepper and Happy arrive. Pepper takes in the room and sighs.

“What have you done now?”

“Told them about Peggy” Pepper sighs pulling out her phone.

“I'll call her, do damage control” Pepper looks to Tony. “After everything....”

“I know” he sighs and moves to his bar. “I'm going to need a drink” Bucky stands up.

“Wait a minute, you are telling us that Howard had a daughter and she is...normal, like....not a female version of this” he waves over Tony, who glares back. Pepper and Happy smirk a little.

“I don't know” Tony answers. “The last few days is the most I have seen her since she was sixteen” Natasha gives him an unhappy look. “I know, I screwed up, world's worst brother and all that, trust me, I know, Pepper reminds me enough”

“Oh, she was that painter by the way” Clint points out, Tony gives him a look.

“She's a Stark, she's bound to be smart....painting?” he scrunches up his nose.

“Maybe that is why she didn't tell you” Happy states. “She already thinks Howard would be disappointed, she doesn't need that from you as well” Tony shoots Happy a look. “No offence” the driver mumbles. Tony looks down.

“She really thinks I would be disappointed?” Happy nods.

“She has a store” Clint states and hands him the card he nabbed from the shop. “Take a look at her work, Tony, she's talented” Tony takes the card and looks over it.

“She's not even going by Stark” he whispers sadly as he drops onto a stool. “Margaret Carbonell” he sighs.

“Carbonell?” Bucky asks with raised eyebrow.

“Our mother's maiden name” Tony states. “I need to...I need to fix this” he hops down and heads towards the elevator.

........................................

Peggy hangs up her phone and looks to Steve apologetic.

“I have to get back to work” she stands gathering her things, faking her good mood, he will find out soon enough who she really is, maybe she should move, get out of the city and away from Tony, he always does this, always finds a way to ruin her life. At sixteen they had had their first argument and he had told her to leave, and she had, she had taken the cash she had saved and flown all the way to Paris to leave him behind, started going by their mother's maiden name, Carbonell, ignored her inheritance and anything her parents had left her after their death, any letters she gets from that account she shoves away in a box under her bed never to see the light of day.

“You should pop by the tower one day” she shakes her head as Steve stands with her.

“That won't be happening any time soon” she states and bless him, he looks confused. “You'll find out when you get back” she pats his arm. “Thanks for the coffee” she turns and walks away from a confused looking Steve.

...............................................

Peggy enters her shop and stops short, sending a glare to the man sat at her counter. He smiles sheepishly.

“Hey, Pegs”

“Get out” she moves around him towards the back.

“Peggy, please, it just slipped out” she turns to Tony and sighs.

“One thing....I didn't want the attention of being a Stark, that's all I asked” she blinking back tears. “I've never asked you for anything before, Tony, I left the county because you didn't want me around” he looks to his feet. “I just really need you to leave me alone this time” she sighs, exhausted, Tony touches her arm as she sniffles.

“I'm sorry, I really am, I should never have said those things to you to make you leave” he moves his hand to her shoulder. “I....I'm sorry” he pulls her closer.

“You told me that you wished I'd never....”

“I know” he snaps cutting her off, he doesn't need to hear the words again, he hears it everyday in his own mind and he doesn't need to hear it from her. “What I said to you that day was completely unforgivable and I get it, I get why you hate me”

“I don't hate you Tony” he looks to her surprised. “You're my big brother and I'll always love you, I just don't have to like you very much” he chokes a small laugh, she gives him a small smile, he brushes the few stare tears from her cheek and hugs her.

“I saw your paintings” he tells her, she pulls away and sigh.

“I know I am not a genius like a Stark should be” she walks towards the back of the store and Tony follows her.

“Is that why you didn't say anything?” she shrugs. “Pegs” he smiles sadly. “Mum used to draw” she turns to him and he nods.

“I didn't know that...I don't remember seeing her..”

“You were just a kid” he answers as he moves along a line of her paintings. “Whenever she sent you to ballet or gymnastics or whatever your latest fancy was she sat down and drew” he smiles. “She never let anyone see them but” he clears his throat smirking. “You know how I was” she smiles a little back. “There was one of me and you” he looks back at her. “That night I forced you to watch The Night of the Living Dead to scare the pants off of you and we fell asleep against one another, she sat and drew us, she said she preferred them to photos cause they were more personal” he finds one of Peggy's sketchpads and opens it to find sketches of him and Pepper, he smiles, she must have used press photos of the two of them. The more pages his flicks through the younger he gets till..till there is a sketch of him and Rhodey when they were teens, the two of them lent over some invention or other a few days before Peggy left. “I see her point” Peggy moves to his side and he smiles at her. “You may not be Stark...smart” she gives him a look. “But you're Stark talented” he wraps an arm around her and kisses her head. “Forgive me?” she rolls her eyes and sighs.

“Fine, but you owe me” he smiles and looks around.

“So do you live here as well or...?”

“I have an apartment upstairs, why?”

“Cause we are packing up your things and you are moving into the tower” she shakes her head.

“No, we are not, I like my life, I like my crappy apartment that leaks when it rains and is freezing in the winter and boiling in the summer, cause it's mine...”

 


	8. Chapter 8

Clint frowns at the boxes littering the communal living room, he looks to Cassie who sits smiling at him, he raises an eyebrow and she smiles wider, damn kid can be creepy sometimes.

“What's got you so happy?” he asks moving to the kitchen.

“Paint lady” She states and Clint frowns.

“Paint lady?” he whispers to himself before turning to Cassie who smiles, next to her a bow wrapped art kit sits, he raises an eyebrow. “Peggy?” he asks and Cassie nods her head. Clint smiles subconsciously and Cassie gives him a look. “What?”

“You like her” Cassie tells him. “You have a crush on her” Clint drops his smile and gives the girl a look as she chuckles. “Clint and Peggy sitting in a tree....K.I.S.S....”

“Whoa, shush” he interrupts her and she laughs more.

“What are you two doing?” Scott asks walking in and grabbing a box. Cassie smirks and it is so much like Natasha's Clint is a little afraid.

“Clint has a crush on Peggy” Cassie tells Scott as Clint goes wide eyed. Scott smirks and looks to the archer who rubs the back of his neck.

“Is that so?” Scott starts to leave again. “Good thing she is moving in across from you then, isn't it?” Clint snaps his head to Scott as he disappears down the hall. Cassie chuckles at the look on Clint's face.

................................

Peggy glares at Tony who sets a box down next to her new couch, he sighs when he turns back.

“I just want you close..”

“So you have my landlord evict me?” she hisses taking a box from Scott as he walks through the door. “That is low Tony, I told you I liked my life” she sets the box down. Scott leaves quickly so not to get in the middle of this fight. “And you do remember what happened the last time we lived together? We hated each other”

“No, you hated me....I loved to annoy you” he teases and she shoots him a withering look back. “Come on, we are both older now....wiser, some would say”

“No one would say you are any wiser, Tony” Clint tells them as he enters with one of her boxes.

“Hey” Peggy states sheepishly, Clint smiles a little back at her.

“Hey” Tony steps between them and takes the box from Clint.

“Thanks, Birdbrain, get out”

“Tony” Peggy scolds him. Tony shrugs setting the box down.

“What?” he whines but smirks catching her eyes roll.

“This is not starting again” she mumbles walking into the bedroom with a box leaving the two men alone, Tony turns on Clint.

“THIS PAINTING I LIKE IT, ANOTHER!!!” Tony doesn't get to do the whole proper stay away from his baby sister speech as Thor's thundering voice rumbles through the floor. Clint sighs.

“What is that noise?” Peggy complains leaving the bedroom with her hands over her ears. “And why is it so loud?” Clint chuckles as Tony smirks.

“That would be Thor, our resident God of Thunder” Tony explains. “I guess that means the others are all here” Tony pulls Peggy's hands from her head. “Want to formally meet all your new roomies?” she rolls her eyes and shrugs.

“I guess”

“You've met them before” Clint points out watching the two Stark siblings.

“Yeah, before anyone knew who I was” she seems to shrink into herself. Tony sighs softly and kisses her forehead.

“You'll be fine” Clint is amazed that Tony could be this.....caring, and from the look the engineer sends the archer he knows that if he mentions it to any of the others he will find himself with exploding arrows or worse.... “You are a Stark at heart and by blood, there is a confident woman in there somewhere” she smiles a little and nods.

“Okay”

“Okay?” Tony asks kissing her head again, she nods and tugs on the bottom of her shirt.

.....................................

Clint watches her interact with the others, again, Steve is the most....polite, he supposes is the right word, the super soldier tells her he understands why she kept her lineage a secret and that he though Howard would be proud of her, Bucky flirts a little, Wanda hugs her tightly glad for another female though a little hesitant at her being a Stark, even after she and her brother were told that Peggy hadn't been involved in anyway with Stark Industries. Pietro winks and squeezes her shoulder before side hugging Wanda, Natasha nods, polity though for her it is the most friendly gesture, Thor lifts Peggy up and spins her around in a hug before asking her about the painting of himself he had spotted among her things. Scott and Cassie greet her like old friends before Pepper pulls her into a hug like a sister would, Happy smiles at her and Peggy returns in. Rhodey hugs her, half lifting her off of the floor causing the younger Stark to squeal a little, he set her down and pat her head like an older brother, Clint always forgets that Rhodey has been around Stark longer than any of them. Clint smiles watching her and Tony move around one another, like they hadn't been apart for twenty years, once introductions are over with they all settle around the large dining table that normally goes forgotten but since they are all there they decide it might save on mess later if they all just sit together, and they all fall into it like Peggy had been with them for years. Pietro screamed a little when a big fat hairy black cat jumps up onto the table and hisses at the speedster, Pietro then actually hissed back causing the table to burst into laughter, the cat moved straight to Peggy who runs her hand over his back, the cat wrapping it's tail around her wrist like a possessive creature, it eyed Clint before smacking at his hand on the table then nudges his head against it. Peggy smiles.

“He likes you” she tells Clint who lifts his hand to let the cat brush against him. “He don't normally like strangers” Tony huffs at her other side rubbing his arm where the cat had slashed him when they were packing up her apartment.

“Beast” Tony mutters under his breath. “Did you really have to bring him with you?” Tony asks Peggy who smirks.

“Cat's aren't obedient, Tony, even if I had left him behind he would have followed me, he's loyal.......enjoys my company” the cat moves to purr up against her arm. “Course most of the time I think it is cause I feed him” The cat huffs in her face before nudging his head under her chin and then climbing onto her shoulders.

“What's his name?” Wanda asks.

“Fatso” the cat huffs, annoyed and Peggy smirks, Wanda chuckles as Pietro does. Clint shakes his head reaching for the jug of soda across from him, his elbow knocking his glass from the table.

“Shit” he curses, Peggy's hand snatches out, quick like a cat and sets the glass back on the table, though she is turned facing Tony now, Clint stares at the back of her head then looks to Natasha who raises an eyebrow back, what the hell? They had seen Tony watch things fall and not have the reflexes to catch it so it's not a Stark thing, they weren't aware of her having any sort of training and to be honest, Natasha had checked the SHIELD database and found no reference to a younger Stark child, Howard must have kept her hidden from them or no put her on the database like they had Tony, maybe there is a reason for that. Natasha and Clint share a look, mischievous and devious all the same.

 

 


	9. Chapter 9

Peggy curls up next to Tony as they watch tv later, Natasha, Clint, Steve and Bucky the only other ones with them, Natasha had filled Bucky in on their suspicions, seen as he had the whole spy thing down as well, so Clint, Natasha and Bucky watch the younger Stark for anything that would explain her reflexes, but she seems very...normal. Of course is she wasn't would Tony have said something about her being....enhanced? Peggy moves and stretches out across Tony and Clint's laps, her head in Tony's lap, he smiles and threads his finger's into her hair, Clint stiffens and looks to Natasha for help but she just smirks back. The spymaster knows how her friend feels about the younger Stark. Clint doesn't know what to do with his hands. Bucky stands and walks past Clint leaning down to whisper.

“You are such a dork” and then heads to the kitchen. Clint glares at the back of his head before turning forward where Natasha smirks. Tony whistles as a newsreport on the new ancient Egyptian exhibition, Peggy's eyes sparkle at the sight of a pair of black gloves adorned in jeweled claws. Natasha raises an eyebrow watching the girl's eyes change, she schools her expression and thinks.....that can't be possible, peoples eyes don't change like that, Natasha looks again and they are normal. Peggy stands and stretches before patting Tony on the head.

“'M gonna paint for a bit”

“'kay” Tony mumbles looking around her as she moves passed the tv.

“Have fun” Natasha adds as the girl leaves, waiting for the sound of her apartment door going she turns to Tony. “You didn't tell us your sister is enhanced” Tony raises an eyebrow over his drink as Clint frowns.

“Cause she's not” Tony answers.

“Really? Cause I just seen her eyes change shape” Tony snorts and shakes his head.

“There is nothing weird about my sister, she's perfectly normal”

“Like you?” Clint snorts out. “Other than the smarts to build your suit, you are normal”

“Rude” Tony whines. “Look maybe it was the light of the tv” Tony stands. “Or maybe you are tired...it was a long day hunting scary feline thieves and all” he shrugs as he walks away. Clint looks to Natasha, a small scowl etched onto his face.

“Did you really see her eyes change?”

“Yes” Natasha nods. “There is something more going on” Natasha sighs. “Sorry, I know you like the girl” Clint shrugs.

“Best to know if something weird is going on before.....well if I ever got around to talking to her” Natasha barks out a laugh as she shakes her head.

“We'll figure this out” Natasha stands. “Because there is something more going on here”

...............................

Peggy runs her fingers over her suit, she can't get away with sneaking out with it on, not when she knows how well watched the tower is, if Tony hadn't meddled in all over this, she would still be able to be herself and not hide away. She throws the suit into the bottom of her wardrobe and shuts the doors on it, she's bored, and painting isn't going to help, she knows there is something pretty out there that she wants, her inner feline clawing to get out.....she looks to Fatso lounging on her bed, the cat cocks his head and looks to the wardrobe. Peggy smirks and moves back towards it.

“You are right, Fatso” she purrs and throws open the door.

................................

Clint and Natasha run through the museum, bow and gun ready, the two of them heading towards the Ancient Egyptian Exhibition, Bucky and Steve heading in from the other direction to box the cat thief in. They round a corner to find Catwoman sitting, one leg draped seductively over her other, those jeweled claw gloves already on her hands, she tilts her head to the side and smirks at Clint.

“What do you think?” she holds up a hand and wiggles her fingers. “Too much?” she purrs out.

“Come quietly” she smirks and purrs.

“Oh.....I thought men liked their women to come loudly” Natasha tries not to snort out a laugh as Clint turns red, Steve and Bucky appearing behind the car silently, she wiggles her fingers again before pointing to the two super soldiers. “Nice try...bringing friends...” she bites her lips. “Big friends too....” she pouts and looks to Clint. “Didn't have you down for the sharing type” Clint schools his expression and steps towards her.

“Enough games....” she jumps down from the display and places her hands behind her head as she smirks and winks at him. He looks to Natasha who nods, Clint sets his bow onto his back and approaches Catwoman. She pulls him against her, clutches his butt -- then pushes him away, spinning him out like a top – his trousers have been shredded, the belt sliced. His pants drop to his ankles, he stumbles back, losing his balance and falling. Natasha looks to the two super soldiers behind Catwoman. Bucky moves first.

“That's enough for one night, honey” He lunges at her from behind, but she drops down and slithers out of his grasp, it's like she's vanished into thin air, then Catwoman rises behind him, plants a foot in his ass and boots him into Natasha. 

“Guess the party's over” Catwoman springs upward, atop a display case. She moves with incredible agility across the different displays, she leaps and grabs the light fixture above which swings and deposits her close to the door behind Steve, Catwoman hurls open the doors and runs. 

“Get after her!!” she chuckles and throws herself up onto another display and then onto the beams above her disappearing out the roof window and into the night.

.............................

Peggy yawns as she stretches walking along the corridor towards the kitchen, where she reaches up for a glass from one of the cupboards.

“You're up late” she squeals and spins around, Clint smirks from where he is sat at the breakfast bar.

“What the hell, Barton? Why are you drinking in the dark?” he shrugs and looks to his beer bottle, she fills her glass with water and sits opposite him. “You okay?” he shrugs again, Peggy raises an eyebrow.

“Just work...”

“Ah....you can't talk about it” she clicks her tongue. “Got it” he sighs and offers her his beer.

“Sorry...just...”

“I get it...I'm not a super” she takes a swig of his beer and he takes it back. He smiles at her a little as she pulls her knees up to her chest.

“So what happened between you and Tony?” she chuckles.

“Oh you couldn't wait to ask that?” she teases.

“He won't talk......and the others are curious as well” she leans forward onto her knees.

“Our parents died when I was young....I was eleven” he looks to her softly.

“Sorry” she shrugs.

“Tony was....older....ten years older, he was already off doing....Stark things” she smirks a little and shakes her head. “Well you much know how Tony was....” Clint nods. “After that I was pretty much raised by Jarvis, me and Tony grew apart as I grew up, he took over the business and well he had better things to do then hang around with his kid sister” Peggy looks to her glass of water. “It came to a head once I reached sixteen, Tony had been drinking before some big party or whatever and me and Jarvis had just come back from the printers...I had gotten this drawing of me and Tony framed as kind of a early birthday gift for him....but...I never got to give it to him” she looks to Clint and shrugs. “Me and Tony argued instead, he said some things and I left” 

“What did he say?” she shakes her head and glances to Clint.

“No, you don't need to know that....It's forgotten”

“How long till you forgave him?” she laughs and smirks.

“Oh about the time he flew into a wormhole” he smiles a little. “Kinda grants you a do over when you do that for the world” she leans closer to Clint over the table. “Don't tell him but I've been checking on him since he was kidnapped...the first time, he was usually passed out drunk or asleep but I checked on him”

“And all this time, he thought you hated him” she shrugs a little and leans back.

“I was angry at him......”

“Sorry, kiddo” they both turn to the doorway where Tony rubs at his eyes, he gives his sister a tired smile. Clint grabs his beer and smiles.

“Night, Peggy, Tony”

“Huhm” Tony responds shuffling to Peggy who looks to her glass, Tony sighs and kisses her head. “You've been checking up on me” he wraps his arms around her shoulders and smiles against her hair.

 


	10. Chapter 10

Peggy leaves the elevator to find Tony and Scott slumped over the breakfast bar, both with blacked out sunglasses on and coffee mugs.

“Oh somebody had a late one” she teases and they both groan. She grabs another mug of coffee and drops down next to Tony. “Tony you smell like a brewery...what the hell did you two get up to last night?”

“Shots” Scott groans. “Lots and lots and lots of shots...” Peggy laughs and they both cringe.

“Not so loud, Pegs” Tony whines lowering his head onto the table top.

“Awwww” she pats his head and jumps up. Tony turns his head to the side and watches her.

“Where you been anyway?”

“Jogging” Tony wrinkles his nose.

“Jogging?” Peggy smirks.

“Yeah, it's what people do when they want to keep their bodies nice and fit...” she teases, Scott lowers the sunglasses a little to look over Peggy as she walks away.

“I kick ass....that counts” she laughs as she disappears, Scott hums and smirks, Tony smacks the back of his head.

“Owie” Scott turns to glare at Tony. “Barton thinks about her in the shower” Tony narrows his eyes as Scott smirks. “Probably anyway”

“Run Ant...” Tony threatens as Scott hurries away, laughing.

....................................

Speaking of showers, Peggy pulls her hair over her shoulder as she leaves her room again, the towel in her hand rubbing the wet locks, Clint leaves his room and looks her over, her white vest almost see through and her shorts soooo short that he can almost see her butt cheeks at the back.

“Oh god” he moans a little watching her walk away from her room drying her hair.

“Morning Barton” she shouts back, looking over her shoulder with a smirk, she looks over him, his sleep shorts and bare chest before a leer finds it's way onto her face....and he loves it. “Sleep well?” he clears his throat and moves towards her closing his door behind him.

“Well, enough....” they walk beside one another. “You heard what your idiot of a brother got up to last night?” she raises an eyebrow.

“I know he and Scott got trollied” Clint laughs and nudges her.

“I've got this video you have to watch” he throws his arm over her shoulder, he has no idea where all this confidence around her has suddenly come from but he is not going to question it. “Your big brother in a pink bunny costume head chasing Scott, wearing nothing but a pair of Captain America boxer shorts around Bucky who had absolutely no idea what was going on” Peggy laughs and looks to him, smiling brightly. Clint's heart skips a beat watching her.

“Sounds like you guys throw one hell of a party” she teases.

“Well you were invited” he teases back, she shrugs and looks to him.

“Me and parties and me and drunk Tony are not a good mix....” she smiles sadly.

“It's fine....but you should maybe let your hair down once in a while” he tugs on her wet hair and she laughs.

“Oh...” she teases. “You want to see if I really am a Stark, huh?” he laughs as they reach the kitchen where Tony, Natasha and Bucky are sat, Tony still wears his sunglasses. “I lived in Russia, I know how to drink” Tony glances to her with a small smirk as Bucky and Natasha raise their eyebrows.

“You lived in Russia?” Tony asks as she sits beside him, Clint on her other side.

“Yep” she reaches over for the coffee pot. “Urm...three years after I left” she tells him, Tony removes his sunglasses and looks at her. “Only stayed long enough to get the cash together to cross in Siberia” Tony raises an eyebrow. “Siberian tigers and the Amur Leopards...I like wild animals” she shrugs, Tony snorts.

“I remember you sitting for three hours in front of the lion enclosure, Dad had to drag you away crying” Peggy shoots him an annoyed look.

“That did not happen” Tony smirks.

“Oh it did....Dad had to buy you one of those big stuffed lions to shut you up” Peggy blushes and looks into her coffee as Bucky chuckles. “And then he refused to ever go back to the zoo....though I think that was more cause it wasn't the first time to happen....owww” Natasha chuckles now as Tony rubs the back of his head. “Pegs” he whines as she smirks drinking her coffee. Clint chuckles reaching over for his own.

“Maybe she should go up against Bucky” Natasha states looking to the former assassin, his eyebrow raising slightly. “She said she can drink so why not test it.....you are practically Russian” Bucky catches on, if Peggy is enhanced she will last longer than the nonenhanced, Clint sighs knowing he will be the unenhanced subject and Bucky will be the enhanced subject, if she can keep up with Bucky she is most definitely enhanced. Peggy shrugs.

“Sure why not...just not tonight...I'm meeting with Peter, tutoring”

“Peter?” Tony asks looking at her.

“Kid that lives...lived across from me, he sits in the shop sometimes...he's a total nerd....remind me of you actually” she smiles at Tony as she stands. “I'll be late...we also pig out on take out and movies after” Tony kisses her head.

“Be careful, there is some whacko in a cat suit out there” Peggy raises an eyebrow. “Don't ask...”

“Alright...” she grabs her mug and stands. “I got a commissioned piece to finish...see you all later” She walks away and Clint sighs, leaning on his hand watching her, Bucky and Natasha smirk, the former assassin glancing to Clint.

“Are you ever just going to ask her out?” Clint leans up and casts a nervous glance to Tony who pushes his sunglasses back up over his eyes.

“Well...” Clint clears his throat. “For risk of injury” he glances to Tony again. “I don't know...she doesn't seem interested” Natasha snorts.

“How many of us has she talked to about family stuff?” Tony looks between them.

“What family stuff? What has she told you?” he asks Clint who smirks.

“Nothing bad...despite what you think she doesn't hate you that much, she was angry for a long time at you...but she never hated you” Tony looks away and nods.

“Guess...I don't mind you asking her out...better than metal man over there....speaking of” Tony looks around and leans forward to Bucky. “Look, I'm over the whole...you killed our parents thing....bastard.....but...” Bucky looks confused. “Peggy doesn't know what happened and I don't want her to....she doesn't need to know that.....it's a car accident and nothing more” Bucky nods. “Good” Peggy runs back through pulling on her jacket, her ear to her phone as she laughs.

“No, I'm on my way, I swear” she pulls on one boot whilst hopping around. “It's a strip club, Nessa, I doubt they care” Tony raises an eyebrow. “Nessa calm down” Peggy laughs again. “No wear that red tartan skirt with the knee high boots, you know Wade loves those.....yes! With that black vest” she turns and waves quickly at the others before heading to the elevator. “I can't stay long, I'm tutoring Peter later, I'll be ten minutes....love you too” she hangs up and steps into the elevator. Bucky turns to Tony.

“She is so your sister” he teases, Natasha laughing away.

 


	11. Chapter 11

Catwoman strolls across the rooftops, the stars and moon shining in the sky, she loves nights like this, quiet, clear, she has to quickly duck as something flies towards her, she crouches and glances over her shoulder....Clint Barton...dressed in his Hawkeye costume, his bow ready, arrow knocked, she glances back to see an arrow in the roof vent ahead of her, he had shot at her. Catwoman stands curling her hips to face him, a smirk etching onto her lips.

"Alone at last" she teases, shifting her hip out to the side and placing her hand on it.

"I'm really really tired of your games...."

"Who's playing games?" she teases moving closer to him. "Maybe I just wanted to get you all alone..." He pulls handcuffs. "Handcuffs. Yummy" He lunges at her, she dodges, kicks a leg out from under him. No slouch at fighting, Clint recovers, plants a kick in her mid-section. She gasps, surprised. "You play rough"

"This isn't a game" He charges at her, but she parries a blow, lands a slash across his shoulder. As he comes at her again, she jumps and spins away from him, too close to the edge Clint stumbles, loses balance, about to go over the edge, Catwoman spins back towards him and grabs his wrist, saving him. A beat as they look at each other, she pulls him back from the edge. A second later, CLICK – Clint has slapped a handcuff on her wrist, clicks the other cuff over his own. Catwoman spins back on him, looking hurt. He reaches to pull off her mask. She slaps his hand.

"Please, it's our first date. I wouldn't want the mystery to go out of our relationship"

"We don't have a relationship"

"You men love the chase, but once you catch us, you always lose interest" As she speaks her fingers squeeze together, her hand slithers out of the cuff like a cat's paw. Clint moves, tries to pull Catwoman with him -- but he comes up with an empty, dangling handcuff. From behind him, Catwoman plants a kick in his back from behind, he falls forward and slams his face hard into the ground. Catwoman winces, sounding a lot like Peggy. "Sorry" She's on her feet and running across the roof, Clint pushes himself up and tentatively touches his face, hissing in pain as she darts out of sight.

.............................................

Clint groans making it back to the tower, setting his bow down by the elevator doors he moves towards the kitchen.

"Oh my god" he looks up. "What happened to your face?" soft fingers touch his face and he relaxes a little.

"Peggy" he sighs.

"Come on" she grabs his hand and pulls him forward. "Let's get some ice on it" she gently leads him into a seat. "Sit" she pushes him down and then vanishes. Clint slumps forward and groans listening to her rummage in the freezer. "So...what did happen?"

"Tripped" he mumbles and she sighs moving back to him and sitting in the chair nect to him, she presses her fingers to his good cheek and turns his head towards her before she sets ice wrapped in a tea towel to his face.

"You can't tell me....that's fine...but don't lie"

"Sorry" he mumbles as she treats his face. "How bad is it?"

"Hard to tell" she removes the ice pack and grimaces. "Probably just...looks bad in this light" he sighs and takes her free hand.

"Thank you" his other hand reaches up and places his hand over her other on the ice pack.

"Oh..I have something for you..." she jumps up and he presses the ice pack to his cheek himself as she leaves. She's back within a few seconds and he smiles. "You owe me dinner" she states setting the painting in front of her.

"Wow" he stands setting the ice pack down to look over the Black Widow painting. "This is...." he smiles and then cringes a little. "Ow" She grabs the ice pack and holds it to his face again. "Thanks"

"Is it what you expected?"

"Better....Nat's gonna love this" he moves forward and touches her face. "This is great, thank you" And then he is kissing her, the Black Widow painting wedged between them as he drops the ice pack to touch her instead, her fingers grab at his shoulders to pull him closer. "Ow!" she smirks a little and pulls away.

"You can try that again once you can smile without it hurting" she turns and walks away, Clint looks down at the painting.

"Perfect" he smiles and then cringes. "Ow" he shuffles off with the painting to his little apartment. 

..........................

Peggy sits with Clint and Bucky in a sort of triangle, Tony and Natasha stood by them, the redhead with a bottle of vodka, Tony crosses his arms over his chest still no 100% on board with testing his sister this way. She could just have a genetic predisposition for a higher tolerance to alcohol....like he does. Tony glances to Clint's face and wrinkles his nose.....the bruise is pretty nasty looking and spreads over his cheek and jaw, he must have hit the ground pretty hard.

"Who are we waiting on?" Clint asks looking to Natasha.

"Scott is sleeping" she glances to her phone. "Thor is with Jane....Sam and Steve are on their way...." Bucky snorts.

"Steve just doesn't want me to get stuck in the stairwell again" Tony chuckles.

"Pietro is in, Wanda will be watching him...."

"Last time he ended up on the roof with one of Tony's suits" Clint tells Peggy. "Wanda had to pry him out of it...."

"He still pissed in it first" Tony grumbles, Bucky snickers.

"How old are you guys?" Peggy teases with a smirk. Pietro speeds in with Wanda and takes the stool between Peggy and Bucky.

"Old enough" Pietro winks at Peggy who smirks.

"Oh sweetie" Clint sends at glare at the speedster and Wanda smirks. Steve and Sam enter and look around before nodding.

"That's everyone...those not drinking find somewhere to stand...or sit" Natasha orders as Tony hands out glasses, five in front of each of them. "We're starting easy...five each..." Natasha shows a bottle. "With the weak stuff...American vodka"


	12. Chapter 12

Peggy watches as Pietro dribbles his drink down his chin, Natasha raises an eyebrow before sighing.

"Maximoff.....you're out" Pietro pouts and kisses Peggy's cheek as he stands. She squeals and waves him away before wiping her cheek.

"That's disgusting, Pie" he chuckles as he sits next to Wanda who laughs throwing an arm over his shoulder, he's not past his limit they just don't want a repeat of him hammered. Bucky and Clint are still sitting with Peggy. Pietro had lasted the last two rounds. Peggy is still pretty upright, Clint is warm and tingly all over and Bucky is still boringly sober. Tony sits at the bar watching his sister with his own drink. Natasha smirks and places a bottle on the table.

"Alright, up the ante.....who wants to see the green fairy?" Clint groans, Bucky smirks. Peggy just raises an eyebrow. "Absinthe 179 Proof" Clint grabs his head.

"I'm going to die"

"You can always back out...." Natasha teases, Clint shakes his head and waves over his glass.

"No..no, I'm in" Natasha pours out three glasses.

"Bottoms up" she moves towards Tony. "If this doesn't floor your sister...."

"Peggy is not enhanced" he tells her as she turns back to the other, Clint looks sick as he places his empty glass down, Peggy licks her lips and places her down as does Bucky.

"You good, Barton?" Bucky asks placing a hand on the archer's shoulder to keep him steady.

"No" Clint whimpers, the other smirk watching him. Clint looks to Peggy. "How are you vertical?"

"I'm a Stark..being alcholic is in my blood...."

"So is being a sex pest" Sam shouts, the room laughs as Tony rolls his eyes.

"Hey...how do you know I'm not one..." Peggy teases back with a wiggle of her eyebrows, Sam laughs with the others. "What's next?" she asks.

"Spirytus" Natasha responds, Pietro sucks in a breath as Wanda raises an eyebrow.

"I'm out" Clint shouts trying to stand up. "That Polish stuff is insane" he stumbles but catches himself on the table. "I'm okay" he takes a step then falls backwards. Sam and Steve jump up, Sam laughing away.

"He's fine" Natasha tells them, they both look to her before sitting again. "Peggy.....you want to drop out as well"

"No...I'm good" she answers, Natasha raises an eyebrow at her and Peggy returns it.

"Alright" two more glasses of clear liquid and Bucky turns to Peggy with a smirk as he downs his drink. Tony stands and moves closer to Peggy, Steve, Sam, Pietro and Wanda move closer as well.

"Your move, Little Stark"

"If you can manage this....then we move onto the Asgardian stuff" Natasha states. Peggy leans back eyeing the glass, she shrugs peeling her jacket off and then smirking.

"Eat it, Barnes" she throws the drink back and smiles.

"I think we need them to stand up" Sam states looking between the two of them. "Birdbrain was fine till he stood up" Clint groans from the floor, Peggy smirks and stands, her arms folding against her chest, she raises an eyebrow in challenge at Bucky who raises an eyebrow back before standing, both fine. Natasha raises an eyebrow at the pair.

"I'll go grab Thor" Pietro states speeding out the room. Tony clenches his jaw and turns to Natasha.

"If this makes her sick..."

"Tony, look at her....she's not even tipsy" Tony glances to his sister. "Tell me you don't believe something else is going on...Look at Clint" The archer is still on the floor. "Even Pietro is wonky on his feet....." Tony clenches his jaw tighter and looks to Peggy.

"She would have told me"

"Would she?" Natasha asks quietly. "You've barely spoken since she was sixteen...that was what....twenty years ago? Twenty years is a long time in our world, Stark, you know that...." Tony sighs.

"Then why wouldn't she tells us...look around Nat....how many of us are...enhanced one way or another...?" Natasha shrugs just as Thor followed by Pietro enter the room, Thor raises his eyebrow asking whether what Pietro has told him it to be believed.

"She drank the Spirytus?" he'd seen it floor everyone but Steve, Bucky and himself.

"She did"

"And yet she stands" Thor smiles at Peggy. "A worthy opponent then" he holds up a small flask. "This was aged for a thousand years, in the barrels built from the wreck of Brunhilde's fleet, it's not meant for mortal men...or women" he winks at Peggy who laughs back.

"Bring it thunder thighs"

"Oh god.." Sam groans. "She really is a Stark" Tony laughs then and kisses Peggy's head.

"Damn right she is.....you got this, Pegs" they share a smile and she looks to Thor who holds out the flask. Peggy smiles then gasps. "Pegs?" she can't breath.... "Peggy?!" Tony grabs her as she collapses gasping. "Peggy" he lowers with her and brushes her hair from her face, Bucky and Steve move to try and help. "She can't breath!" Tony looks to the other panicked. "Someone wake Banner!" Tony looks to his sister. "You're okay...." he smiles reassuringly, tries to anyway as she chokes on air. "Peggy" he whimpers and starts to cry. Clint is now more awake then before, sat up on his elbows watching helplessly as she gasps for air...drooling a little... "It's an allergic reaction" Tony states. "What does this?" he looks to Natasha and Bucky, Bucky looking helpless...Natasha...not so much. "Natasha!"

"I spiked the drink with liquified lillies......perfectly harmless to humans...." Steve frowns before looking to Natasha.

"But not to cats.." He finishes. Tony glares at the redhead.

"Peggy is allergic to lillies...she has been since she was a kid" Natasha's face changes to concern.

"I didn't know...." Tony stares at her before looking to Peggy.

"Someone get the Epinephrine from my lab!" noone moves. "Now!!" Pietro leaves, the quickest of everyone. "I swear Romanoff is she dies...."

"Stark...I didn't know" Tony barks out a humourless laugh.

"You were too busy trying to prove she was not as she seemed...that she was enhanced that you didn't actually care if she got hurt......" Clint has managed to stand and glares at Natasha who looks away from him. Pietro reappears and hands Tony a needle, he twirls it in his hand and stabs it into Peggy's chest.

 


	13. Chapter 13

Clint sits at the small medical bedside, Peggy is still out, Bruce having decided to sedate her while she recovers, Tony is still busy shouting at Natasha, who is actually sorry that Peggy got hurt, Clint is even ignoring the assassin, she knows how Clint feels about Peggy.

"Hey" he looks up and smiles a little as Peggy wakes. He reaches up and brushes her hair from her face.

"Hey, how you feeling?"

"My throat hurts....my stomach"

"Yeah" he nods and takes her hand. "You had an allergic reaction...Bruce had to pump your stomach to get rid of the...toxin"

"What was it?" she groans trying to sit up.

"Lillies" she frowns and looks to him. "Natasha spiked your drink"

"Why?" he sighs and shakes his head.

"I honestly have no idea why....." he kisses the back of her hand. "You're going to be fine though..."

"Where's Tony?"

"Yelling at Nat....you want me to get him?" she nods and scartches at her throat. "Alright" he stands from the chair at her side and leaves the room with a small glance back at her before the door closes behind him. Peggy sighs....Lillies..the bane of her exsistance.....for as long as she can remeber she had been allergic to them, a nighmare when men wanted to buy her flowers.....cause they are beautiful flowers, she just can't be anywhere near them.

"Hey, Kiddo" she glances to Tony who gives her a stiff smile as he sits with her. "I'm so sorry"

"Not your fault, Tony" he leans over and kisses her head.

"If i hadn't moved you in here.....I should have been watching what Nat was doing..."

"Tony" she covers his mouth with her hand. He grumbles against it and slumps into the seat. "This is not your fault.....but....I can't stay here" he sighs and pulls her hand away from his mouth.

"Yeah, I got that....I could ask Nat to leave..." she shakes her head.

"No, she's an Avenger...I'm just your kid sister"

"Just....don't vanish on me again..." she gives him a smile and sits up.

"Sure, Tony" They both know it's a lie, disappearing from the world is what Peggy is best at and as long as Natasha is around. Tony hugs her tightly.

"I'll miss ya"

"Will miss you too" she smiles at him. "Maybe'll go travelling again"

"Well if you need anything...." he kisses her head and she smiles.

"Thanks" he rests his head on her shoulder and she threads her fingers into his hair.

....................................

"I heard you are leaving" Peggy looks up from where she's packing to Clint in her doorway, she shrugs and goes back to packing.

"It's for the best..."

"I'm really sorry Nat hurt you"

"So am I" she zips up her duffle and sets it on the floor near her feet, she sighs and turns to him. "Look....I really like you" Clint offers her a smile. "But I don't know how this will work with me....away" he snorts and moves to her with a smirk.

"You have a cell phone, don't you?" he teases and she rolls her eyes.

"Am sure guys love long distance...." he grabs her arm as she makes to move away.

"I'm a spy....I go off the grid, some times for months....I know how to do long distance, the question is; is it worth it?" he reaches up to twirl a strand of her hair. "Cause I really like you too" he smiles down at her as she looks up at him.

"You do?" he nods and tugs her closer to him, his hand pulling the cell phone from her pocket which he holds up and quickly puts in his number.

"There" he slips it back into her pocket and kisses her quickly, his face still aches after his roof hit so he has to be careful. "We can text....we can call...and if you are near the city we can...have lunch" he smiles a little. "Right?"

"Sure" she answers with a smaller smile. "Look after Tony for me?" she asks and he nods pulling her into an embrace.

"You just...behave" he teases and she laughs.

"Oh can't promise that....wouldn't be a very good Stark would I?" he chuckles into her hair as she smiles. "I'll be seeing you around, Barton" he pulls back and nods.

"You too, Stark" she grabs her bag and rounds him leaving her room.

....................................

Tony pulls her into another hug once she's strapped her bag to her bike, she's then attacked by Cassie who hugs her waist.

"Will miss you, paint lady" Peggy smiles softly at the girl and rubs her back.

"I'll miss you too, Cass" Scott gives her a smile and a wave, Bucky waves slightly, Pepper hugs and kisses her cheek.

"Call, anytime"

"Thanks, Pepper...look after him"

"Of course I will" the two women smile at one another, Bruce squeezes her shoulder and smiles with a nod.

"Bruce"

"Peggy" Rhodey picks her up and hugs her like they were kids again, she chuckles as he sets her back down.

"Be careful, Kiddo" Tony claps his hand together and winks across at Clint who smirks back.

"Alright, come on" he herds the others out of the garage, Clint stands in front of Peggy who smirks.

"Promise you'll text" he taps her chin. "Or....even send a postcard" she laughs and tugs him closer, licking his chin. "Oh" she kisses him, he wraps an arm around her as he kisses her back.

"Look after Fatso" he nods and kisses her again. She pulls back and smiles before mounting her bike. "I'll call at least" she promises and he kisses her head before stepping back and watching her ride away, he sighs and shakes his head walking back to the elevator.

 


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SMUT!!!!!!

A week later

Clint laughs looking over the postcard in his hand, he had been joking about her sending one, he shakes his head and turns it over.

_**Clint** _

_**Wish you were here** _

_**Peggy x** _

He smiles wider and turns it back around, the Eiffle tower, Paris, he wishes he was there too, he reaches over the small desk in his room and pins it to the corner of the memo board.

"Hey" he glances over his shoulder and his smile falls.

"Natasha"

"You still mad at me?" she asks raising an eyebrow.

"You poison the woman I was trying to date....yeah, I'm still mad"

"I didn't know she was allergic to lillies"

"Did you check?" Clint asks. "With every target you do a medical background test......" Natasha sighs and nods.

"Yeah, yeah I would have...but she wasn't a target" Clint turns and shakes his head.

"Yeah, damn right she wasn't...she was Tony's little sister, Howard Stark's daughter....imagine if it got out that an Avenger poisoned her...."

"No one knows she even exists"

"Oh and that makes it all right?!" Natasha shakes her head and sighs leaving the room, she knows she isn't going to win that arguement.

..................................

A month later

Peggy writes out another postcard....India this time...it had become their thing, the small box at her side all of his replies, Clint would grab them from any tourist spot in New York he got to and sends them to her, she had been confused the first time he had asked where she was staying but now she doesn't mind, she started it with Paris and he sent a Central Park one back, then she had sent Rome and he the Empire State Building, she knew he would have laughed over the Avanos Hair Museum in Turkey and she had smiled over the Stark Tower postcard. Then they had started to send letter on top of the postcards. Peggy smirks and presses her lips to the back of the postcard leaving an imprint of her lipstick before attaching a stamp and standing, she leaves the card on the desk whilst she pulls on her catwoman mask and zipping up her suit.

.....................................

Two Months Later

Clint attaches another postcard to his memo board, it's almost covered, he smiles and shakes his head, amused as he steps away, he is so lost in her......Bucky and Tony had tried taking him out to get his mind off of Peggy, none of them knew about his letters and postcards from her, so they've been trying to find him someone else, Tony is at least as miserable as he is, considering he had only just got his sister back. Clint grabs the wrapped item at his side and strides out the room towards Natasha's, they aren't really friends again but they still workt ogether......he's trying really hard to still hate her but even Peggy is pushing him to forgive her, that Natasha probably did what she did out of a want to protect him. He knocks on her door and then walks, Natasha looks up from her computer and offers him a smile.

"Happy Birthday" he tells her and holds out the wrapped item.

"You got me a present? I thought you were mad at me" she takes it and tears off the paper.

"I asked Peggy, she painted it for you" Natasha sits on the edge of her bed looking over the painting. "I urm....she did it before she left, do you like it?" Natasha nods, guilt hitting her, again, it's not the first time since Peggy left, seeing her best friend hurting.

"Yeah, it's great" she smiles looking over the spider, Clint nods and starts to leave. "I'm really sorry, Clint"

"Yeah, well, sorry won't bring her back"

"No, it won't" Clint turns and leaves with a sigh.

......................

Another Month - Christmas

Clint sits with a santa hat on his head, Tony is drinking his homemade egg nog, Pietro and Wanda are fussig over christmas lights, someone has given Thor a can of snow and he is going mad with it, Natasha sits across the room with Steve and Bucky trying to put the decorations on the tree. Pepper removes a batch of cookies from the oven and smiles as Happy tries to steal one. Scott and Cassie are shaking a pile of gifts trying to guess what is in them and Jane and Bruce disappeared to the labs hours ago. But it just doesn't feel like Christmas.

"Awww don't you guys look all Chrismassy!" Tony and Clint snap their heads around to find Peggy and Rhodey stood smiling at them.

"Pegs!!" Tony stumbles over to her and hugs her. "You're here" she hugs him back and smiles.

"Yeah and you've had too much of that" she takes the egg nog from him, Rhodey smiles and helps Tony sit down. Clint stands and moves towards her as she sets the glass down, she turns to him and smiles before wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Hey"

"Hey" he smiles and kisses her softly.

"Ewwwww" Cassie makes gagging noises behind them, Scott laughs. Peggy smiles pulling back, Clint tugs on her hair and she laughs.

"Nice tan" Wanda states and Peggy looks to her.

"Well, whilst you guys suffered in the snow......I was wearing a bikini on a Carribean beach" Clint groans into her neck. Bucky raises an eyebrow.

"Pictures?" he asks, Steve and Natasha smack the back of his head. "Ow" Peggy smiles back at Clint as he pulls back from her neck.

"I've missed you" he tells her still smiling away.

"I missed you too" she pulls him closer and the touches his face. "Your bruise is all gone...you're so pretty" she teases, Tony giggles nearby and Clint rolls his eyes playfully. She tugs his Santa hat off and smiles setting it on her own head. "Merry Christmas, Barton" he kisses her and smile.

"Merry Chirstmas, Stark" he mumbles against her lips.

"All right, love birds, give it up" Tony shouts. "Let's do presents!" he cheers, everyone then laughs as he promptly passes out.

"Tony" Pepper groans before smiling at Peggy. "Welcome back"

.................

Peggy sits beside Clint who has his hand on her thigh, he squeezes a little as Pepper hands around presents, Tony is still passed out on the floor behind them, Wanda had shoved a pillow under his head and they had left him be. Peggy looks to Rhodey.

"Hey, Rhodey, did you bring the box?" he smirks and kisses her head as he passes her.

"I did" the elevator opens and Rhodey grabs a sealed box from within, Clint kisses the side of her head then nibbles on her ear. Wanda opens her gift and smiles, an indoor mini allotment for cooking herbs and a rare chilli collection, she had taken to learning to cook seen as no one else in the tower knew how to.

"Thank you" she smiles at Pepper who smiles back. Pietro laughs at his and then his smile turns a little sad. He turns the fram in his hand and the others smile. _**Straight outta Sokovia**_. Wanda smiles and kisses his head.

"Thank you, Miss Potts"

"Pietro, how many times, you can call me Pepper" he smiles at the woman. Pepper turns to Peggy. "Now, I had no idea you would be here" she holds out a box. "But I hoped" Peggy takes it and smiles.

"You didn't have to get me anything"

"You want me to hand these out?" Rhodey asks setting the box down.

"Please" Peggy tells him as she opens her gift, a leather bound journal.

"It's a travel journal" Pepper explains. "I mean...I just thought you might like...."

"It's perfect, Pepper! I love it!" Pepper relaxes, she hates buying gifts for billionaires. Rhodey chuckles and looks to Pepper.

"She's not Tony" he explains, everyone chuckles, Peggy chuckles.

"I mean...yeah, I have the money...I guess....but I've never spent any of it"

"None of it" Bucky asks surprised.

"No, just sits there in a bank account.....along with any profits from Stark Industries....I still have my 50% share" Steve chokes on his drink.

"Seriously? You must be....loaded......And you've spent like none of your money?" She shakes her head.

"No, I've not touched it" she shrugs. Tony grumbles behind them as he comes around.

"She's the weird Stark" he mumbles, Peggy rolls her eyes.

"Love you too, Tony...guess you don't want your present" he jumps up and stumbles over, he smirks and kisses her cheek.

"What'cha get me?" Rhodey hands him a gift bag from the box.

"Now" Peggy starts as he hands the others out. "I had no idea I was coming back....but I have been gathering souveniers so..." she smiles and grabs Clint's and hands it to him, he raises an eyebrow and takes it. Clint pulls open the bag and smiles pulling out.....

"A rock" he looks to Peggy who smirks and turns it over, he laughs reading the inscription. "You rock my world" she shrugs, he kisses her softly. "Thank you"

"I'm sorry it's nothing special" he shakes his head and kisses her again.

"No, no, this is perfect" Tony cheers and smiles turning to Peggy.

"You got me Iron Man pjs" she laughs as they others do. "I love these" he holds the bottoms to his legs and smiles at his sister. "Thank you" she smiles back as the others tear into their gifts, Natasha and Peggy share a look as the redhead gets a gift bag, Natasha reaches into the bag and snorts, Peggy smiles.

"Merry Christmas, Natasha" the others look to the redhead who lifts the gift out the bag. Natasha smirks and then laughs.

"Thank you...." Tony narrows his eyes as Bucky grabs the corner of the bag to read the label.

"Lily bulbs?" he asks looking to Peggy who shrugs, he chuckles. "Nicely done" Natasha and Peggy share another look, the Stark pretty much telling the Widow she's forgiven, Natasha smiles back.

.......................

Peggy changes before dinner, having been all icky after her flight, she's pulling on a god awful christmas sweater when Clint hugs her from behind, holding out a small black gift box, she glances to him and raises an eyebrow.

"Merry Christmas"

"You got me a gift?"

"Course I did...nothing fancy, like a rock" she playfully elbows him as he laughs. "Open it" she grabs the box from him and lifts the lid, a smile etching onto her lips.

"Clint" she runs her finger over the arrow charm. "This is beautiful" he reaches around her and pulls the necklace from the box and then drapes it around her neck. "Now my rock seems bland" he kisses her cheek.

"I love my rock" he tells her and kisses her softly. "But if it bothers you that much...You can make it up to me next christmas"

"You are assuming we last that long..." he shrugs.

"I'm an optimist" he pulls her closer as she chuckles.

 

 


	15. Chapter 15

Clint wakes with a smile, his hand already moving along the warm smooth thigh pressed across his waist, she's so warm, he turns slightly careful not to wake Peggy and nuzzles into her neck, he pauses as a rumble comes from her chest, he raises an eyebrow and does it again, the sound vibrating through her...purring? That's what it sounds like.....he glances to Fatso who is curled up on the dresser. He shakes his head and pulls Peggy closer, she sighs contently resting her head against his chest before she stretches, clearly waking, Clint grumbles trying to pull her back.

"Hey hey come here" she chuckles a little and curls back around him.

"Morning" she mumbles leaning up to kiss him.

"Mmmm Morning" he grabs her and pulls her up onto his chest, she chuckles and presses her palms flat to his chest, his own hands running up her legs and pushing the fabric of the shirt, his shirt, up her legs. "Mmmmm" he smirks up at her. "Do you have any idea how god damn sexy you are?" she throws her head back and laughs. He reaches up and tugs on her hair with a pout.

"You are so cute when you pout" she leans forward and kisses him, he smirks against his lips as he kisses her back, Peggy's fingers carding into his hair before he is rolling her onto her back, he kisses along her jaw down to her neck, she moans and arches up to meet him, he smirks and slips and arm under her back, pulling her close to him as he rotates his hips against hers. He reaches down and pulls his shirt over her head, her hand scrambles between them push down his lounge trousers, both of them pulling back to stare at one another, he brings her face back to his.

"You are so beautiful" he presses his lips to hers as he pulls her hips towards his, he smirks against her lips, running a finger between her legs before pushing one into her, he moans as she does, her head falling back, exposing her throat, he leans closer to press his lips to her throat as he removes his hand from between her legs to fill her with his cock instead, she moans, out loud, it rumbles through her throat and he moans against her neck as he snaps his hips to hers, she grabs onto his shoulder with one hand and the other his hip as he wraps an arm around her waist pulling her to him as he thrusts.

"Clint" she moans and he smirks against her skin. He thrusts harder and she moans louder. "Clint!" he starts to thrust faster, harder and she cries out. "Clint!!" she grips his shoulder tighter.

"Peggy" he groans into her neck his hand on her hip pulling her hips to his with each thrust, his forehead presses to hers as he thrusts into her, her nails dragging across his skin, he moans and presses his lips to hers, tongues delving and battling against one another, the coil tightening in Peggy's stomach as she clenches around him. "Yes" he hisses. "Peggy" he reaches between them to rub his fingers against her bundle of nervous as her orgasm burst, she throws her head back and screams in pleasure, Clint right behind her, smirking away as they both come down, panting, Peggy's chest heaving and Clint finds his eyes watching as he breasts rise and fall with each breath. He pulls out slowly and lays beside her, one arm under her neck as the other draws lazy circles onto her stomach. "Come here" he pulls her closer so she lays with her head on his chest, the arm under her neck now ghosting across her back. He watches her with a satisfied smile. "I love you, Peggy" she turns her head to him and raises an eyebrow at him. "Too soon?" she smiles and shakes her head.

"I love you too" he leans forward and kisses her softly.

..................................

Peggy pulls her hair up as she enters the kitchen as Clint smirks around his coffee and sets another down on the table beside him, as she sits Clint wraps his arm around her waist and pulls her closer.

"Mmm hey" he nibbles on her ear, she squeals and pushes him away from her as he laughs. Tony walks in the room and looks between them and smiles warmly at the sight of his sister, happy before putting on a stern face.

"Alright you two...not at the breakfast table" Clint pulls her closer again as Tony grabs his own coffee before turning back. "So, you back for good?" he asks Peggy leaning on the counter. "Or...this a holidays thing...?"

"For good....well, back in the city...I'm looking for an apartment....no offense but living with supers has been hazardous to my life" they both laugh. "I need to open the store again anyway..." she looks to her watch. "Which I should be getting to...." she jumps up and kisses Clint's cheek. "I'll see you later?" he nods and pulls her in for a proper kiss.

"I'll see you later" he mumbles pulling back, she grabs her jacket and heads into the elevator. Clint sighs dreamily watching her go, Tony clears his throat.

"It goes without saying that if you hurt her, or upset her..."

"I won't" Clint shakes his head. "I really like her....really really like...I love her" Tony raises an eyebrow.

"Well...we'll see" Tony eyes Clint carefully as he leaves the archer in the kitchen alone.

...............

Peggy grabs another of her display cases in the store when the door goes.

"We're not open" she shouts back listening, she then stiffens and turns just as something hits her head. Darkness.

..........................

Clint checks his watch and frowns before looking back to the tv. Peggy had said she wasn't going to be at the store long, just long enough to get it ready to be re-opened so why isn't she back yet? This is ridiculous, he can go one afternoon without, he had managed it before he had met her, he can do it again. He sits fiddling with his hands as he tries to pay attention to the screen in front of him. Steve, Bucky, Tony and Natasha sit around the tv, Steve and Bucky frowning at the Sci-fi show. Jarvis speaks up startling them all.

"Sir....incoming video call..." Tony frowns before looking to the tv.

"Bring it up" the screen swaps out from the film to a live feed of some dirty, dank, looking warehouse, Tony and the others frown.

"Ah..hello, Mr Stark" a figure walks onto the screen and smirks.

"Urm...do I know you?" Tony asks.

"No but I know you....and your sister" the room all stiffen. "Peggy" he turns the camera around to Peggy who sits strapped to a chair.

"Peggy!" Clint stands moving to Tony's side.

"Let her go" Tony snaps.

"I will....if you give me what I want"

"Which is?" Steve asks.

"Howard Stark's files on X-25" Peggy looks sharply to the man at her side, Tony frowns.

"I've never heard of them files, how am I suppose to find them?"

"You have three hours before we start sending parts of your sister back to you" the figure moves back to the camera to turn it off.

"Wait, wait" Tony begs. "At least let me talk to her" the figure pauses before moving back to Peggy, he pulls the tape off of her mouth and she groans. "Peggy, I'm gonna get you back, okay?"

"He's bluffing, Tony" she tells him. "He's not gonna do jack" she turns to glare at the figure. "Just a scared little boy playing soldier" she sneers, the figure punches her, Peggy groans and spits out blood before laughing, running her tongue over her teeth.

"Easy Pegs" Tony tells her. "We're going fix this" Peggy looks to Tony. "I promise"

"Don't make promises you can't keep, Ant" she smiles a little and looks to Clint. "Can't make dinner, Barton" Clint smiles a little.

"Rain check then, Stark" she nods just as the camera feed cuts out, Tony kicks the coffee table.

"Sonova bitch" he stalks away, no doubt to his garage.

........................................................

Tony paces, hands in his hair.

"Jarivs, bring up anything on X-25"

"Password?" Tony cocks his head.

"Password"

"Acces denied" Tony pauses.

"How can I be denied, I created you? I put on all the files? Jarvis...."

"Denied"

"Whoa....don't me pull at your wiring!" Tony warns. "Acess files X-25!"

"Password?" Tony paces and taps his chin.

"Urm...Anthony?"

"Denied" Tony grumbles and stopes about for a moment before smiling.

"Margaret Maria"

"Access..granted" Tony smirks.

"Huh....how about that?" he moves to the computer as file upon file upon file opens. "Holy crap"|


	16. Chapter 16

"What are we looking at?" Natasha asks as Tony blows up the X-25 file.

"My father's work..." he sneers pacing.

"What's this?" Steve asks pressing on a video, they all step around him to watch.

"Alright, sweetheart, you ready?" Howard asks moving towards a six year old Peggy.

"Yes, daddy"

"Awww....." Wanda states. "She was cute"

"She's gorgeous now" Clint points out, Pietro snorts.

"You are biased"

"Shut up and watch" Tony growls, they turn back to the screen. Howard sets young Peggy in a chair and strokes her head.

"Okay, so, here's the plan, kiddo" she smiles up at her father as he holds up a needle. "I'm going to give you some medicine"

"Am I sick?"

"No, sweetheart....it's just in case"

"Then you should give it to Tony as well...." Howard looks to her.

"It's just for you, sweetie"

"Why?" Howard moves to her and takes her arm.

"Because you are special" Howard tells her as he injects her. Tony shuts off the video.

"What was it?" Natasha asks.

"From the files....the super soldier serum...." Steve and Bucky look to Tony. "There was some other stuff in it as well....a mixture.....including feline DNA"

"The lilies" Natasha mumbles. "She's been allergic since she was a kid" Tony nods.

"You were right....all this time" He tells the redhead. "There was something about her........Our father was experimenting on her, God only knows what she's got" Clint frowns at the computer files before sighing.

"She's Catwoman" they all look to him. "She's Catwoman" he repeats looking at the files. "Look here....the serum gave subject X-25 feline agility, reflexes and traits, an allergic reaction to lilies, fondness for catnip........she's Catwoman" the call alarm rings again and Tony looks to his watch.

"That's it...three hours...."

"These files are on Peggy...why would they want that?"

"To recreate it.....we've seen Catwoman move....she's like a hotter, slicker....more agile Winter Soldier" Scott points out. The call alarm rings again.

"I need to get that...." Tony states. "Before they cut up my sister" he wiggles a finger and Jarvis brings up the video call. Peggy is still strapped into her chair and that man is there crouched at her side. "Okay, asshole, we got the files....."

"Good, now the bird is going to bring them to a set of coordinates we will send you....and just the bird..." Tony glances to Clint then to Sam.

"Which bird?" the figure cocks his head looking into the camera.

"Oh......the Hawke......" Tony looks to Clint who nods, she may have lied and she may have given him a dirt nap but to get answers....they need her back alive first. "You will be texted" the video goes dead and then Clint's phone beeps. He pulls it from his trousers and looks over the text marked as from Peggy.

"It's to the docks.....the empty warehouses..." he tells them.

"You are not going alone" Natasha tells him.

"They'll kill her if I don't" Clint tells the redhead. "Nat...I have to do this...." Natasha looks to him softly before nodding.

"Well...maybe he doesn't have to go alone..." they all turn to Scott who smirks. Clint laughs and smirks back.

"No, I don't" Scott smiles back.

"Cassie will unbearable if the paint lady goes away" Clint pats his shoulder.

"Thanks, man"

.................................

Clint stands with the X-25 file in his pocket, a small flash drive that feels like the weight of the world....he suppose it is the world, his world, his Peggy. And he finds he no longer cares that she was.....is Catwoman. He just wants her back.

"Chillax, man, we got this" Scott states through his coms, the man shrunk down in his ant suit on his collar.

"I know...just..."

"Yeah, she's your kitty" Scott teases, Clint rolls his eyes, standing up straight as a car approaches.

"Guys"

"Got it" Bucky states from his view point. "Nat clocked three more north of you...." Clint watches as two figure leave the car first, one pulling a smaller hooded figure, Peggy, from the back, another figure leaves the front of the car and walks towards Clint whilst the others stick back with Peggy. Clint sticks his hand in his pocket to grab the memory stick.

"Ah...aha....hands" the man in front warns. Clint holds up the memory stick and he nods, he holds out his hand. "Hand it over..."

"Hand her over first" he motions to Peggy. The figure purses his lips before nodding and motioning back. The two men drag Peggy forward. Clint waits till she is just close enough and grabs her pulling the hood off of her head and touching her face, there are a few bruises and cuts but she seems in one piece. "Pegs?" she tries to smile but her face aches.

"Now, the memory stick" Peggy shakes her head. Clint pulls her closer and kisses her cheek.

"Trust us...." he whispers looking to the stick, Peggy follows his eyes and finds tiny Scott on the stick waving at her. Peggy nods and Clint hands the memory stick over. Clint leans closer to whisper. "I'm sorry" He tells her and she raises an eyebrow. "That you couldn't trust me....with being...Catwoman" she closes her eyes and sighs resting against his side. He helps her back away from the car. "Ready when you are, Scott"

"Gotcha" Clint covers Peggy's head as something explodes behind them.

"Stay behind me" she nods as Clint grabs something from his jacket and snaps it out into a baton type weapon.

.............................

Three dead bad guys, a rescued hostage and the data stick kept later and Tony drives around the corner and parks before climbing out. He looks to Peggy who gives a tired smile before he is moving to her and hugging her, Clint steps away from them.

"I'm so sorry" she mumbles against Tony's chest.

"Shhhh it's okay, we'll talk later, let's just get you back and seen to, okay?" she nods and holds closer to him.

.............................

Peggy is still in the medical lab two days later, Tony hasn't left her side and she hasn't seen Clint, she reaches up and plays with the arrow around her neck sadly.

"He made me promise, Tony, like you would have believed me anyway" she scoff and looks away. "And it's not like we actually got on" Tony rubs her arm and kisses her hand.

"I'm so sorry, Pegs" she turns back to him and sighs wrapping an arm around him.

"No, I am...I should have told you.....I just....he told me it..."

"Was medicine...that it was to stop you from getting sick......." Tony nods. "You were just a kid.....what he did to you Pegs......" she scratches at his head and smiles.

"What's done is done" she tells him. "I am who I am.....a Stark with sticky fingers" Tony laughs and kisses her head. "Guess now my identity is out there is...steal bracelets for me.....and a break up" Tony looks to her softly brushing her hair back from her face as she starts to cry. "Guess it was stupid.....thinking I could have what everyone else had....just another screwed up Stark" she curls in on herself and away from Tony, he sighs, stands and kisses her head.

.................................

Clint watches Peggy sleep, he sits beside her and smiles sadly at her. He hadn't meant to seem like he was keeping his distance, he'd been pleading her case to Fury with Natasha, surprisingly the redhead was all on board for having Peggy as part of the team. Clint reaches over and takes Peggy's hand lifting it to kiss the back of it softly.

"Peggy" he calls softly, lifting his other hand to stroke her hair. "Pegs" she groans and turns to look at him.

"Clint?....I'm sorry"

"Hey now, shhh" he strokes her hair. "I forgive you.....it's forgotten, okay?" she stares at him. "I promise" she closes her eyes and sobs a little. "It's okay" he leans over her and kisses her cheek. "I still love you" he tells her softly.

"You do?" he nods and kisses her.

"I love you" he tells her and smiles.

"I'm sorry I ruined your pants...." she lifts her hand to his face. "And your face" he nuzzles into her hand.

"I dunno...it's kind of hot to know my girlfriend can kick ass......." he teases running his hand over her stomach. She smiles at him.

"I love you too" she whispers to him, Clint strokes her cheek.

.........................

Six months later

.........................

Clint sings, loudly, out of tune, as he stands in his boxers at a stove, pancakes frying away on the top. Behind him Fatso glares at him, Clint sticks his tongue out at the cat before turning back to flip a pancake. Peggy chuckles as she takes a seat at the table. Clint turns to her with the pancake.

"Okay we've got" Natasha mumbles grabbing a bottle of squirtie chocolate sauce. "Choc sauce.....syrup....bananas, cherries?" she asks looking to Clint. "Who puts cherries on pancakes? What about the pips?"

"Pip less....." Peggy tells her. Natasha looks surprised.

"Really?" Peggy nods and Natasha tests a cherry. "Oh my god"

"I know right....I prayed to every deities when I found them" Clint and Natasha laughs as Tony shuffles in. "Morning" Peggy tells him, Tony kisses her cheek and sits beside her. Peggy smiles and looks around at her small....very dysfunctional family and feels lucky. Fury had given her a probation period as part of the Avenger that is working out, as long as she doesn't steal anything, that's proving difficult. Clint's helping....Tony and Natasha too, they've set up fake heists to keep her Catwoman mind working. She loves them for it. Even Natasha. She has friends, amazing friends, she has Tony, she has Clint, a man who loves her, who she loves back with her entire being. A reason to put on the suit....she has things to protect.....she is **Catwoman**.

 

 

**A/N - that it for Clint and Peggy**

 

 

 

 


End file.
